§ Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many improvement notices have been issued against employers relating to the control of dust at work for each of the geographical areas of the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate for each year over the last 20 years. [28637]
§ Angela EagleI have been asked to reply.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not issued any improvement notices in respect of mines.
For mines, the Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations 1975 apply and these require the owner of a coal mine to notify HSE's Inspectorate of Mines when the levels of dust exceeds the permitted amount. The information in respect of notifications to HSE's Inspectorate of Mines for each year over the last 20 years for each geographical area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The HSE has issued improvement notices in relation to the control of dust or other substances hazardous to health in quarries. Details of the numbers of improvement notices issued in each geographical area since 1990 are available and are as shown. The geographical areas represent the current HSE Regional structure.